Generally, evaporative water cooling towers include an upper hot water distribution system. Examples of upper hot water distribution system may have a series of water distribution nozzles or an apertured distribution basin or the like, and a cold water collection basin positioned at the base or bottom of the cooling tower. Commonly, a splash-type water dispersing fill structure is disposed in the space between the hot water distribution system and the underlying cold water collection basin. The aforementioned fill structure oftentimes includes either a plurality of elongated, horizontally arranged and staggered splash bars supported at spaced intervals by an upright grid structure or frame assembly, or a series of fill packs composed of a number of film fill sheets. During assembly of the evaporative cooling towers, typically, an outer shell or support structure is built first and then a rack or grid support is affixed to the support shell. Splash bars are then threaded into the rack.
The splash bars generally provide a surface for consistent, predictable dispersal and breakup of the water droplets over a range of water loadings typically encountered during operation of the evaporative cooling tower. Typically, these splash bars are long and thin and the fill structure includes a great number of them. Unfortunately, the same characteristics that make an efficient splash bar and fill assembly also make the fill assembly difficult, tedious, expensive, and time consuming to install.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art to improve the installation of a splash bar apparatus.